I am celebrating the year that was 2022 big time even though I did not achieve my biggest goal. Here’s why!
My end of year review revealed to me that 2022 was a year of total change and transformation for myself. I had to completely reinvent myself. AGAIN. I’m now Sinja Version 5.0.
2022 saw me launch myself off the fear cliff. I feel proud. This achievement alone deserves to be celebrated.
I believe though, that also celebrating the smallest of wins breeds more celebration and I want more of that in 2023.
My jobs in the past had left me burned out. Twice! I couldn’t do it to myself for a third time. Something needed to change.
So I leapt and started my own business! Taking this leap of faith was nerve wracking. I had so much fear about giving up my corporate job and losing the income and security that came with that job AND not being good enough and therefore not succeeding.
2022 was my first year in business as an entrepreneur. Prior to that I was a ballerina, insurance claims clerk and travel agent. After that I got my MBA and transitioned to enterprise change manager. The latter I had been doing successfully for about 18 years but I had bigger goals to achieve and wanted to do so on my own terms.
(Image used with permission of Getty Images)
What did I achieve?
I didn’t achieve my big goal which was to replace my corporate salary in my first year. A stretch goal for sure and as I now know unrealistic! So looking back on 2022 my achievements look like this:
- Signed my first contract with a US company to coach Fortune 100 leaders
- Signed a second contract with an Australian Company to coach emerging leaders
- Obtained my first personal 1:1 coaching clients
- Was named a Top 15 coach in Adelaide for 2022 by Influence Digest
- Got over myself to post my first video on a social platform
- Created 3 ebooks for sale and sooo much content
- Set up my own technology for my business Dubsado (CRM System) & Flodesk (Email and Newsletter Platform)
- Learned how to manage my own website after it was handed over to me from my designer Ebb, Flow and Grow
- Got 4 public speaking engagements
In light of my achievements, I am completely ok with not reaching my big income goal. It would have been nice to have that income but I gained so much more than that in knowledge which can’t be bought. I earned my knowledge by getting over my fear of failure and doing it anyway. Priceless! So celebrating the year that was 2022 is what I am going to do.
What did I learn?
Every day I learned something new and am still learning. Here is a list of what really stood out for me in 2022:
- I need to believe in and back myself
- I don’t need to do it ALL.ALONE
- The magic of new beginnings is in the action you take
- Surround yourself with people that believe in you and lift you up not drag you down
- Focus your effort and actions intentionally on those tasks which move the needle for your business
- Create your goals and set targets but detach from the timeline and focus on serving your audience
- Being consistent is key
- Have a CEO mindset every day
- Sales doesn’t have to be icky
- The amount of technology needed is a lot – more than I thought
- Getting your first customers is hard work and every no gets you closer to a yes
- Giving up is easy. Keeping going is better but harder.
- I have to pick myself up and dust myself off more often than I want to
Not bad for a 1st year in business and further grounds for celebrating the year that was 2022!
How did I measure up against my 3 words?
In January 2022 I chose three words. You can read all about how and why here.
Those three words were:
- Expand
- Connect
- Action
Everyday I expanded my business, I connected with people known and unknown to me and took massive action. I am not in the same place today, on the 23rd of December, compared to where I was on the 1st of January 2022. I can see the difference in myself and in my business. So can my family, friends and clients. That is progress I am proud of.
I’m grateful for each and every client that has worked with me this year. You all received a happy dance each when you signed up to work with me. Watching you achieve your goals made me proud. Seeing you convert what you learned with me made me even prouder. I’m happy with what I have achieved and so my family, friends and I will be celebrating the year that was 2022 in style!
I am currently in the process of deciding my new three words for 2023 so keep you eyes peeled for that reveal.
2022 taught me to stop aspiring to sit at tables where I have to either bring my own chair or squeeze myself into a barely empty space and then repeatedly have to convince people why I should be there and even belong.
Instead I learned to build my own new table. I hope you learned the same.
It’s time now to take a well earned break. I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
Goodbye 2022. Thank you for the memories the learnings and the small and big wins.
